Aeroplane.



H. J. KRAFT. AEROPLANE.

I APPLICATION FILED JULY 22, 1912 1,063,204.

Patented June '3, 1913.

11o 'mvei'it-ion, however, being to provide novel pear throughout-the specification, the predrawings, the aeroplane consists of a base member 5 to which there 1s secured, near' of, wood and having its ends 7 suitably j1'1 a d'12'arran' d at'right angles't'o" each ering'r-16 extends from the ends of the rear oeaeoa.

" To all whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, HENRY J. KRAFT, of

the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes,i'of

which the following is a specification.

The invention relates in. general to aeroplanes and is particularly'applicable to a monoplane for the 'urpose of glving greater stability; one of t e general objects of the means of control whereby the operation of asingle member willcontrol several members simultaneously.

Further objects of theinvention will apferred form of construction bein shown in the accompanying drawing, in yv ich- Figure 1 is atop plan view of my 1mproved aeroplane; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of Fi 1; Fi 3 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is anenlarged plan view of the spring shown in plan in Fig.1.

eferring now more particularly to the one end, a transverse fabric supporting member 6 which may be made of any suitable material and which is preferably made thinned so that they are rendered flexible and may assume either a curved or straight position; A suitable running ear 8 is se- P 2 .7 The'engine is represented at 9 whlch 1s cured to the frame members for ending putpreferably secured to the forward end of the base 5 dri'vingthe usual propeller 10;

. The steering planes consist of two planesjoint 13,-

base member 5 a post His secured; A rear support 15 having downwardlycurved ends is secured'tothe base member 5 and the cov support 1 5 to theends of the frame member 6 and then converges forwardl of the membar 6 to the -post 14. Asuita le spring 1 7;,

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Application flied July 22, 1912." Serial lid-710,799.

f PatentedJune a, are;

wardly from the formed with coils 19 and the free ends are secured to the frame 6.1 This spring serves to normally hold the forward surface 20 of tne covering in the angular position best showninFig.2. Y

Within'the bow or end .piece 15 is a tail plane 21 suitably hinged't'o the frame member 5. and normally held in'a horizontal position by the spring 22. In the construction so far described th movable parts other than the engine and.

running gear consist of the flexible ends the forwardplane20, the tail piece 21 and the steering planes [11 and 12. The object in making the ends of the frame member 6 1 flexible is to give better stability to the aero- Plane p m n turns? When the steering planes "12*are substantially I. formed with'parallel sides projecting rear I post 14, each side being operated, such as by giving-a 'difl'erent vertical angle to the plane 11, the device may beturned either to the rightorfleft. In the event that the device is turnedto the right,

it is desirable to allow the right flexible end ofthe frame member 6 to assumea position substantially parallel with the straight section of the member 6 so that the angular tip of the plane is decreased, thereby cutting'down t e head resistance uponthe turn upward slightly more tobalance the plane and thereby neutralize the effect of the de and the o posite end of the fram is bent movement between'the steeringv mechanism 5 for turning the devi'ce'j'to either the right or left and the 'fiexing of'the ends of the plane, the following mechanism'is provided to accomplish this result: Mounted centrally of'the frame member 6' is a post 23 provided with suitableguide pulleys 24 on o'ppositelsides and near its upperend.- Be-- low the base member 51 a steering post '25 moved upon its hinge in an arc loiigitudi'; nallyof the base member 5 1n either'fdi'rec tion. A spreaderf26 extends through the base member 5 and is provided-with suitable eyes at-bothend'si- Suitable'cables 27 and -28'are secured tothe steering plane 12 upon opposite sides of the universal joint, these eys 30 where is hinged to theba'se member 5, said steerl i ing post being so designed that it can be At. the forward end of the longitudinal mounted on the steering post 25. making one or more convolutions around the drum 31 they extend vertically riding over they turn around a drum 31 rotatably the guide pulleys 32 and thence around 'the pulleys 24130 the angle braces 33. Each end-oifthe frame mem'berjfi is prov'ided with an angle brace 33, one end 34'efieach brace being secured to the member 6 at a suitable point, while each angle- 'brace is .also .pro-

vided with a brace 35 that is secured to the flexible ends of the member'fi. The steering wheel 37 is connected to .the drum '31 by means of a suitable chain and sprocket ,mechanism 38. It will thus be seen from the foregoing description that upon turning the steering wheel 37 .in one direction the cable 27 Will 'be pulled down over the guidepulley 30 andpaidout over the guide pulle -32; thus the angle of the plane 11 will ec'hanged so that the major portion of the plane is to One side of the universal joint 13, thereby causlng the plane to turn 1 to the left and .at the-same time giving a by means of .a link 42 whereby eater curve .to the right hand end of the gee member 5. The same turni action of the steering Wheel pa .s out on t e cable 28 so that the left .hand end of the frame member 6 will straighten under the natural spring of the material from which it 1s made, llpon g'iving a reverse turn to the steering .wheel the left hand :end of the frame member '6 .will'be curved and the righthand end straighten simultaneous with the movement of the steering .plane 11 -.to the other side of the universal joint so as to turn the machine to the right.

The 'horizontal plane 12 is controlled by meansof two cables-.39 which pass through eyes in a spreader- 40, said .cablesbeing se-- cured on o posits sides of .the universal joint '13 to he plans 1-1 and at'their other ends 'to the cross bar Ail which is mounted on the frame member 5. he crossbar 41 is connected tothe steerinipost 25 .t movement ofthe o'sti25 Willrozkthe cross-bar 'Zfithereby c angingtthe angle o'f'the lane '12 so as :to movelit 11n a-verticalhrc, w ereby the device may be guided in a vertical -direction; j

:As the speed ofahe machinexincreases 'it is desirable to hange thean leofithe \front section 20 of'the covering w ich 'is .accomplished by means .of .a cable 43 connected, to .the eye 18 of the spring 17 .at one .end

' and .to an operating lever 44 pivotally mountedtonithe operatofisnhairsa Another v cable kifi'Ileads/from the 'lever Bl :to the taile'iof ,rthe .for- 7 piece "21 whereby as the a I ward portionfiflo'ftheplene ischan dthe angle ofzthe tail piece .will ibealso c anged to neutralize and balance .the device.

As .a means forsupporting the forward ends of the front PQltlQIl 20 of theplane,

After I ivotally' I provide rigid braces 47 that are secured to the frame member 6 and extend upwardly thereof to the iront edge of the covering.

Having now described my invention, I

claim: I v

1. An aeroplane comprising a framehaving a longitudinal base memberande forward transverse-..fabric-supporting member i having flexible and-upwardly curved ends, a

support secured to vthe forward end .of'said' base member, .a covering secured to .said frame members and havingone edge thereof slidably connected .to said support, means for flexing the ends .of said transverse members, means for vertically shifting .the edge of said covering :alongsaid :support and means for propelling'andguiding said aeroedge of said covering .isslidably secured, a

movable :rear tail piece secured ,to .said .base member, means for ;s1multaneously .mov1ng said'covering on saidsupport and said mov- 95 able tail ,piece, means:for the-,ends of said transverse frame member and means for propelling and guidingfsaidaeroplane- 3. An aeroplane comprising a frame hav ing a longitudinal base member and ,a for- 19 ward transverse fabric-supgiorting .member having flexible and .upwar a support secured to the .forwardendof sai base member, a covering secured"(to id' l frame memberiand having =oneiedge;-thereof slidab ly connected :to said ssnpporglagtail piece .movably connected to the reariend :of said basmember, a'lever connecting means between .the' edge of said'lcovering .that is sli dably connected .tosaidtsupporttandsaid 5 lever and between said lever and said ,tail piece '-.whereby thevmovement of. said lever-sis multaneously changes the angle of iboth the forward edge-ofsaid coveringand' said tail piece,,and=spring means -.-for retnrningIboth tail piece .to: normal position and (means. for

the forward edge of said covering and said propelling-andguidmg saidasroplanei a. .Anaeroplane comprisin aframehav- I inga'ilongitudinaltbasemem er and aforward transverse fabrie supporting member having flexibleandtupwardlyicunved' ends, a

support secured to the forward end-of said base member, ;a. covering ,secured to .said' 'frame membersand having'its' forwardedge slida lyw to said p -t i i planes .connected to the rear of said base member for giving both vertical .and ihori zontal direction to said aeroplane a steering est-hinged .to said'basemember and .eapalast being swung longitudinally of sa'id memos;

.' base member in either direction, a steering ing said steering-.planes with saidsteerin 10 wheel carried by said steering post, means post whereby a swlngi'n movement of S211 ing wheel with said flexible and upwardly connecting said steering planes with said steer-in post guides sai machine in a. versteering wheel, means connecting said steer- .ti'cal du'ectio I curved ends whereby a. single movement of HENRY KRAFT said steering wheel simultaneously operates Witnesses: said curved ends and guides said aeroplane SADIE M. RYAN,

a. horizontal direction and means connect-. JAMES ,R. OFFmnD. 

